


Across the Whole World

by LadyAnneNeville



Category: House M.D.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Parent Robert Chase, Uncle Robert Chase
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28720731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAnneNeville/pseuds/LadyAnneNeville
Summary: Not long after he reconnects with his sister, tragedy strikes and Robert Chase's little sister is killed in a car accident, leaving him to fly across the world to take custody of his three year old niece, Abigail.This takes place in season eight, after Chase has returned to work following his stabbing but before Wilson is diagnosed with cancer, the canon divergence is from that point.
Relationships: Robert Chase & Eric Foreman
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Across the Whole World

Chase didn’t think anything of it when Foreman paged him. It wasn’t particularly unusual for Foreman to seek him out, normally looking for a guys night, or to get his take on House’s current behaviour, or to get Chase to take a case to House if he didn’t have time for the older man’s theatrics. If he had been paged it was more likely to be official hospital business or something serious but Chase wasn’t worried. He left Adams and Park running tests and made his way to Foreman’s office.

It was still slightly trippy that Foreman was now the Dean of Medicine. But he was good at his job and he had earned his promotion. Chase could never see himself in that kind of administrative role but Foreman thrived there, and so had Cameron in the few weeks she had covered for Cuddy.

He paused to knock only briefly before poking his head in through the door as Foreman was alone.

“You wanted to see me?” Chase asked. Then Foreman looked up. Foreman was not an emotional man but he had been one of Chase’s closest friends for nearly a decade and Chase could see that whatever the reason he was here, it was serious.

“What’s happened?” Chase asked.

“You better sit down.” Foreman said, getting up from his desk and directing them both towards the more comfortable seating area. Chase felt nervous, on edge.

“I received a phone call from a hospital in Melbourne a few minutes ago. I’m so sorry Chase, your sister Sarah is dead.”

The world stood still. Chase had only reconnected with Sarah a couple of months ago but it was going well. They’d started chatting regularly. She was doing a part time degree and turning her life around. He’d skyped her and Abigail last weekend. He swallowed hard, his throat feeling uncomfortably solid.

“How?” He managed to gasp. 

“It was a car accident. There was a thunderstorm and conditions were bad, it was nobody’s fault.” Foreman was spacing out the information, probably to give him time to process, but nothing was making sense.

“I just spoke to her last weekend, she was fine then.” Chase murmured then looked urgently at Foreman. “What about Abigail, my niece? What happened to her? Is she okay?” He looked urgently at Foreman, needing as much information as possible.

“I don’t have all the information but Abigail is unhurt. She wasn’t in the car when it crashed.” Foreman was trying to reassure him. “Chase, Sarah put some money in a trust for Abigail, but she left everything to you, including full custody of her daughter.”

Abigail was safe. That was what mattered. His little three-year-old niece was safe and unhurt. He had been so looking forward to meeting her, he just never wanted it to be under such tragic circumstances. His eyes were burning but he couldn’t let himself break down, not yet, not when there was so much to sort out. He would be able to mourn his sister later, now he needed to be there for his niece.

Chase drew in a deep steadying breath and then looked directly at Foreman.

“I’ll need a leave of absence, I know it’s not ideal, coming so soon after the time I took off for my injury, but I need to sort this out, and I’m not sure how long that will take.”

To his credit Foreman gave him all the time he needed and handed him a folder.

“This has the information of the social worker assigned to Abigail’s case and the department of the hospital who contacted me. They couldn’t get through on your cell phone so they tried here. I’m sorry but I think the call passed through about three administrative staff before it got to me, if you wanted to keep this private, it won’t stay that way for long.”

Chase took the folder in slightly shaking hands.

“Can you tell House. Give him all the information he asks for, I just can’t deal with his reaction to this right now.” Chase asked.

“Consider it done.” Foreman pulled him into a slightly awkward, manly hug before Chase left the office. Their relationship had never been particularly tactile, but Chase was a fairly tactile person and Foreman had been making more of an effort since Cameron left. The occasional hugs and backslaps were almost always awkward and short, but in a nice way because it meant Foreman was trying.

Then Chase was gone, contacting the social worker and organising flights to Australia.

Foreman allowed himself a moment of sadness for Chase. The younger man had been so happy and relieved to reconnect with his sister. It had taken years for the pain of their last fight to fade. After Rowan Chase was buried and the will was read, Robert had discovered everything was left in trust to the then fourteen-year-old Sarah, who he had, until that point, managed to maintain some kind of relationship with. The girl had been packed off for boarding schools from the time she was seven, and despite being of average maturity for a fourteen year old, Robert had failed to take into account that she wasn’t going to be as level headed and independent as a fourteen year old who was both a full time carer for an alcoholic mother and toddler little sister while being hothoused through a selective private school.

By all accounts the fight had been ugly and at the age of twenty six Robert had failed to be the adult. Sarah had gone off to live with her best friend in the school holidays and contact had become sporadic and mostly through lawyers. It had been a source of guilt for years. In the time they spent together outside of work Chase had suddenly seemed years younger since reconnecting with Sarah. He was loving being an uncle, even if it had to be done by distance over skype, and had finally found a family again after years on his own, and being the in-law with Cameron’s folks.

Now Sarah was dead and Foreman was worried. If he had custody of a three year old he wouldn’t be able to fall back onto his tried and tested coping mechanism of promiscuity, and Foreman promised himself he would check in with Chase over the next few days.

He pulled himself together and tried to put the various admin crises that still needed to be sorted today to the back of his mind as he walked up to House’s office. House was in the inner office playing on his gameboy and Taub was charting in the outer office. On a whim Foreman invited Taub into House’s office. He didn’t feel any need to inform Adams and Park yet, but these men had worked with Chase and been friends with him for respectively the past two and ten years and would hopefully be able to give him at least a little support in House’s case and perhaps some parenting advice in Taub’s.

“Chase is taking a leave of absence.” Foreman stated.

“No he isn’t, I need him here.” House immediately shot back. Foreman raised his voice slightly and firmly stated in an even tone.

“Chase is taking a leave of absence for as long as he needs because his sister died yesterday. He’s left for home already and will probably be on the next flight to Australia to take care of the arrangements.”

“Can we do anything to help?” Taub asked. He probably wouldn’t have offered in this way a year before but Chase had stepped in in a big way to help him bond with his daughters and now they were friends.

“What about his sister’s sprog?” House asked.

“Sarah left full custody of Abigail to Chase. From his reaction I don’t think she consulted him before making the change, but it would surprise me if he didn’t choose to take her in. You guys know how much he’s loved being an uncle through skype calls, and it’s not as if he hasn’t taken care of a three year old before. So I expect you to make accommodations if need be.” The last statement was addressed exclusively to House, who grumbled and went back to his gameboy.

Meanwhile, essential phone calls made, flight booked for later that evening, in the privacy of his own home, Robert Chase curled up in his bed and sobbed. He sobbed for Sarah, and he sobbed for his own foolish stupidity which meant he had lost out on spending so many years with her. He sobbed for Abigail who was now an orphan and he sobbed for his failure to take care of Sarah when she most needed him.

Four weeks later, Foreman, Taub, and surprisingly Park, waited at the arrivals terminal of the airport. Chase was coming home today with Abigail. Between them they had brought two cars. Most of Abigail’s stuff was being shipped and would arrive at the end of the week, but Chase had wanted the little girl to have as much comfort from home as possible and had paid extra to be able to bring three large suitcases with them on the plane home. 

Park had suggested a banner, but had been shot down by the other two. 

Finally Chase walked out of the terminal. He was walking next to a couple in their mid fifties and the man was pushing a trolley which looked like it contained the three large suitcases Chase had mentioned while the woman pulled two carry on size bags. Chase himself was wearing a substantially sized backpack and in his arms was a small blond three year old, fast asleep, with her thumb in her mouth and her head resting on Chase’s shoulder. Chase scanned the crowd and seemed to spot them quickly, nodding at them, as he had his hands full, and saying something softly to the couple who were helping them.

Soon enough they were all together.

“Thank you so much for all your help.” Chase whispered to the older couple.

“No problem at all.” The man kept his voice soft but was beaming back at Chase and Abigail. “You just look after this little angel.”

Then Chase turned to acknowledge his friends.

“Thank you so much for helping out guys. I’m hoping she will stay asleep until we get home. She’s getting a bit more used to her mother not being around but Sarah was very attentive, and she’s three and doesn’t really understand the concept of death yet so she will probably cry if she wakes up, so sorry in advance if that happens.” Chase looked exhausted, but otherwise healthy.

Foreman took over pushing the airport trolley and they made their way to the cars. Chase awkwardly ducking down slightly and shifting his hold on Abigail to first one arm, then the other, as Park relieved him of his backpack. The suitcases were loaded into the cars, Chase looking awkward as he couldn’t both help and continue to hold his sleeping niece, and then Park and Taub set off in the first car, with Chase sitting in the back of Foreman’s car hoping that Abigail would stay asleep for the entire journey.

The car was quiet.

“I checked in with your neighbour this morning. Your cat is fine, but seems to be missing you.” Foreman said quietly.

“Thanks.” Chase said. “I mean it Eric, you’ve been amazing through all of this, and I don’t just mean the time off work. You’ve just gone above and beyond.”

It was out of character, which probably meant Chase was both emotional and exhausted or he wouldn’t have let his guard down enough to say these things. He got the same kind of overly earnest when he was over his limit with alcohol.

“Just let me be Uncle Eric to Abigail and I’ll consider us even.”

“I didn’t even know you liked kids, Uncle Eric.” Chase’s tone was joking.

“Don’t get me wrong, I never want kids of my own, but being the fun uncle to yours sounds like a lot less responsibility and a lot more fun.”

They made eye contact via the interior mirror and a moment of understanding passed between them.

Half an hour later the three adults and one child were gathered in Chase’s apartment with all the bags. Abigail had been introduced to the others but had immediately retreated into a shy nonverbal mood upon being presented with three strangers, but the surprise, her sleepiness and the steady presence of Uncle Robbie had so far averted any waterworks.

Chase had pulled one of the suitcases into his guest room and was extracting things Abigail might need like her blanket, stuffed toy, nightlight and pyjamas. Foreman, feeling awkward watching Park play with Abigail and the cat, drifted in to watch Chase instead.

“Man, kids need a lot of stuff.” He commented.

“Tell me about it.” Chase said, “and there’s dozens of boxes coming next weekend. I’m going to need a bigger place.”

“Probably a good idea, kids should be able to play in a yard.” 

Chase finished setting up the bed, a queen size guest bed that looked ridiculous for a toddler and stood back looking completely overwhelmed.

“I work eighty hours a week, how the hell am I gonna manage to be the parent she needs.”

Foreman thought about the arrangement he and House had come to and considered telling Chase then. Then he thought about House and how unusually generous the offer was for the older and decided it should wait until Monday when they could present it together.

“Your fridge is empty.” He said instead.

“I should have thought of that.” Chase was self deprecating. “How on earth am I going to take care of her when it didn’t even occur to me that I should fill the fridge before tomorrow. We’ll be okay for tonight but I’m going to need to take her to the supermarket before she gets breakfast in the morning.” Chase was clearly halfway to panicking, and in his exhausted state that wouldn’t help him or Abigail.

“I’ll come over for breakfast tomorrow and bring food with me, something simple. You can go shopping afterwards. You were away for four weeks Chase. How on earth were you supposed to fill your fridge when you were in a plane over an ocean?” Foreman reasoned.

It worked, the stress melted away ever so slightly from Chase’s temples.

“Thank you. Again.” He said and then he walked back out into the living room, painting a kind expression he was too exhausted to feel on his face for Abigail.

The little girl was remarkably calm, and marginally less shy than she had been fifteen minutes before as she stroked the cat. Chase coaxed her through a few goodbyes where Park invited herself to the breakfast in the morning and Taub pointedly made an excuse.

Then they were alone. A wave of grief overwhelmed him as his gaze fell on the chair in which, nearly three months previously, he had picked up the phone and reconnected with his sister. He pushed it to the back of his mind. He had to be present for Abigail now.

He scooped the three year old into his arms and showed her the bedroom, trying to draw attention to the comforts he had unpacked to distract Abigail from the fact this was clearly an adult guest room, not decorated at all with a child in mind.

The little girl was at the phase of wanting to do everything herself, but in her tired state she still needed a little help from Uncle Robbie as he helped her get changed into pyjamas, deciding a bath could wait until the morning. Needing the help made her cranky and irritable, which made Robert feel emotional and stressed, as much as he tried to keep it off his face.

He managed to tuck her into bed and lower the lights so it was only her nightlight on fairly quickly, but he also had to read one of her books   
times in a row before she got to sleep.

Chase had avoided some of the favourites because he wasn’t sure he could cope with Abigail bursting into tears because he didn’t read it “the way mummy did”

He knew it was only her grief speaking and he needed to let her process, but he had been on and off planes for over twenty four hours and also needed her to go to sleep.

An hour later she had finally dropped off, one fist curled loosely around a stuffed toy, the other wrapped in her blanket. As he had done many times in the past month, Chase lingered, looking at the little girl asleep so peacefully and wondered how he was ever going to be enough, vowing to himself that he would do everything in his power to help her and be the parent she deserved, as the one she needed was now ash in the ocean.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know if you liked this.
> 
> I don't know if I'm going to continue this, it's been a plot bunny bouncing around in my head for a while, but if I do it will be as a series of one shots each containing a complete story rather than as a multi chapter fic.
> 
> I do have ideas for future stories, especially how House fits in. Once I had written this down I discovered that he wasn't as present as I expected him to be, but I loved the interactions between House and Rachel so I definately have ideas for a few interactions between House and Abigail.
> 
> If you enjoyed this please let me know because comments and encouragement are everything. I have a few other WIP around the House fandom, all focused on Chase that if I finish I will probably get around to posting. 
> 
> If you have any ideas for future ficlets, comment them below and I may well write them if inspiration strikes.
> 
> This series is unlikely to have any romantic pairings, and canon diverts around half way through series eight, after Chase's stabbing but before Wilson's cancer so if the cancer storyline does come into this, it would be set several years after it occurs in canon.


End file.
